Meet new AIR artists, lemurs and a dragon

The 8th Street Marketplace's Artist in Residence program has
released the names of their third round of artists for September
through November. But this announcement comes with an added
surprise--they're expanding.

Now, in addition to encompassing two second-floor rooms and a
basement room in the Mercantile Building in BODO, the AIR program is
also offering free studio space in the basement of the Renewal Building
and on Main Street in the Alaska Building. According to 8th Street
Marketplace representative Courtney Robinson Feider, First Thursday
events at the AIR space regularly bring in 250 to 300 people for
performances, live painting and free wine. This got the attention of
other downtown property owners looking to drive more traffic into their
spaces and expose potential office-space renters to their available
properties.

"It's cyclical. It's driving traffic and exposing people to the
cultural diversity and creativity of Boise, but also it's cyclical
because it puts more people in these commercial spaces, which might
help businesses to identify them as potential places to work," said
Feider.

With 41 artists mailing in applications this go-round, it's obvious
the AIR program has solidified a reputation for being just as
supportive of artists as it is of business owners. Without further ado,
here are the fall 2009 artists:

At the 8th Street Marketplace in BODO will be choreographer Kelli
Brown, printmaker Benjamin Love and painter Goran Fazil. At 517 S.
Eighth in the basement of the Renewal building will be painter April
VanDeGrift and large-scale painter Emily Wenner. At 1020 Main Street in
the Alaska Building there will be painter and illustrator Sandy
Marostica and cityscape painter Robin Zimmerman.

*Editor's Note: The online version of this article reflects a correction in the spelling of the artists' names.

Lemur Stay-fari

We're coining a new term to add to this year's annoying recession
lexicon: the stayfari. For the resourceful Boise family who just can't
scrape together a two-week jaunt to the Serengeti, there's now an
acceptable replacement: the African boat ride at Zoo Boise.

For a mere two bones, zoo visitors can get their passport photos
snapped and board a barge charting a course through the murky zoo
lagoon (the Boise River). The S.S. Kiboko and the S.S. Mamba--which
mean hippo and crocodile, respectively, in Swahili--will swoop by the
new Keynetics ring-tailed lemur exhibit before ferrying passengers to
the Africa arrival dock (the zoo). Once on the mainland, explorers can
traipse through the underbrush to catch rare glimpses of giraffes and
lions. Don't forget to pack your khaki cargo getup and fake British
accent, this stayfari looks like it might get wild.

If lemurs and lions weren't enough to get your heart palpitating,
Garden City is lowering the exotic animal limbo bar. The Woman of Steel
Gallery and the Garden City Waterfront District have linked up to
assemble a Chinese dragon parade, moon festival and art show on
Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon-9 p.m. The event promises Korean dancers,
Chinese rubber ducky races, Chinese moon cakes and a lion dancer.

Though event organizers already have the "authentic 10-child Chinese
dragon in a traditional undulating street dance" squared away, they are
seeking art and craft booth applicants for the block party, which will
take place in the Alley Arts and Cultural District from 5-9 p.m. Booth
application fees are $20, or $30 for power access, and are assigned
first come, first served.

The inaugural Idaho Metal Arts Guild juried show is also seeking
applicants for the event, which will have its opening reception at
Woman of Steel Gallery during the moon festivities.

For more information or to download an application, visit
idahometalartsguild.org
or contact Margaret Ratliff at 208-867-0713.